Rocket projector with adapter



Nov. 17, 1953 c. c. LAURITSEN ROCKET PROJECTOR WITH ADAPTER 5Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 2, 1943 INVENTOR BY CHARLES a. LAURITSEN f (W1 A TORNEY LOWER WING SURFACE Nov. 17, 1953 Filed April 2, 1945 C. C.LAURITSEN ROCKET PROJECTOR WITH ADAPTER chm 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORRLES 6. LAURITS Nov. 17, 1953 c. c. LAURITSEN ROCKET PROJECTOR WITHADAPTER 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 2, 1945 lNVENTOR BY CHARLES 0.LAUR/ Nov. 17, 1953 c. c. LAURITSEN ROCKET PROJECTOR WITH ADAPTER 5Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 2, 1945 iNVENTOR BY CHARLES C. 77.

Nov. 17, 1953 c. c. LAURITSEN 2,659,274

ROCKET PROJECTOR WITH ADAPTER Filed April 2, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG./0

t 1:" Q N I 58 57 INVENTOR CHARLES C. LAUR/TSE/V jzwa-w @50 6 W,

ATTORNE Patented Nov. 17, 1953 UNITED STATES TENT QFF'ICE 2,659,274 prer R EQZ OB W H -Ea har s Lau ts as dena Application April 2, 1943,Serial No. @1549 2 Cla ms- This invention relates to projectors forrocket propelled devices and more particularly to a rocket projector ofnovel construction for use on aircraft. The new projector is adapted tobe mounted on the lower surface of a wing on an airplane and includesmeans for electrically energizing the rocket devices to ignite thecombustible propellant therein.

Rocket propelled devices have been made heretofore which comprise arocket motor containing an electrical igniter for initiating combustionof the propellent charge in the motor, the ignitcr being energizedthrough a tail ring assembly on the motor body. A motor of this type isdisclosed in a copending application of C. C. Lauritsen, Ser. No.481,645, filed April 2, 1943, now Patent No. 2, 169350. For somepurposes, it is desirable to employ rocket motors of this type onairplanes, as, for example, to propel a bomb rearwardly from theairplane so as to compensate for its forward velocity and cause the bombto strike a point substantially in line vertically with the point fromwhich the bomb was released.

One object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a novelrocket projector for airplanes, which comprises a support or guide formounting the rocket assembly and directing it during its acceleration,and means on the guide engageable with the tail ring assembly of themotor body for energizing the igniter in the body.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a novelrocket projector for airplanes, in which the guide for the rocketassembly carries a removable adaptor for receiving a smaller rocketassembly, such as a sub-calibre bomb and rocket for practice bombing.

These and other objects of the invention may be better understood byreference to the accompanying drawings illustrating one form of the newprojector suitable for use in the rearward projection of bombs fromairplanes. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one form of the new projector;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the line 4+4 in Fig. 1;

ig- 3 is an n arged plan iew of part o the p o e to sh w ng th o a t men o ene s z ng he rocket igniter;

F s- 4 and 5 ar e ona view on t e l es A-.A an B -B respect v ly in ig-.3;

.Fig- 6 is a tra er e s ctiona ew o part of 2 the projector,illustrating the manner of support: ing the rocket device in theprojector;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of part of the projector showing the electricalconnections for the con: tact means;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail view of a releasable locking device forpart of the electrical sys= tem, and

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the projector show-.- ing an adaptormounted thereon for receiving a smaller rocket assembly.

Figs. 10 and 11 are transverse sectional views of the projector andadaptor taken on the lines Iii-1H3 and II? respectively of Fig. 9.

The projector, as shown, comprises a pair of transverse beams vIllconnected together inter-v mediate their ends by longitudinal bars I l.The beams l0 and bars ll constitute a frame which is adapted to bemounted on the lower wing surface of an airplane, preferably by means ofin.- verted urshaped members l2 secured to the bars I1 and connected tothe usual bomb hooks (not shown) on the airplane. The frame may be pro:vided with four connecting elements l2, two on each of the bars I].

A plurality of inverted, trough-shaped members 13 are mounted on thebeams ll] .of the frame and extend lengthwise of the airplane inslightly diverging relation from the leading edge of the wing, as shownin Fig. 1. The mom;- bers l3 form guides or rails for the rocketassemblies and have inwardly turned side edges I 3a. Preferably,additional supporting means are pro..- vided for the frame in? in theform of spaced bars 1!; secured to the lower wing surface l5 (Fig. 6) byri-bolts l6 seated in the wing, the frame members Ill being connected tothe bars I4 by bolts H extending through spaced open.- ings 18 in theframe.

On the rear end portion of each guide or rail I3 is a contact assembly20 comprising a spring arm 2| mounted between the upper surface of therail and the lower surface of the airplane wing. Each spring 21 has acontact 22 extending downwardly through an opening 23 in the rail, thespring bein suitably insulated from the rail, as by means of insulatingblocks 24 and 24a. To the rear of the contact 2-2, each rail has a block26 prgvided with a forwardly extending, beveled contact 25a, The block25 is grounded to the rail nd ma be c nn c the t any suitable a ne a bym ans of a terminal bolt 2.7. As own Fi --'7 the c n act assembly isfiner..- ized t ough a Z- i e cable ,28 having .one c nnected to the.roun ed t rminal 2- and the other wire connected to the insulated springarm 2|, as shown at 29. The other end of the cable 28 has a plug 30which normally fits in a socket 3! connected through wiring 32 to one ofa plurality of distributor boxes 33 mounted on the frame. Thedistributor boxes 3? are spaced along the front frame member It so thateach box supplies two adjacent rails [3, the boxes being connected to asuitable current source (not shown).

In order to facilitate removal of the rails from the frame, I prefer tomount each of the sockets Si in a retainer 35 secured to the rear end ofthe rail, the retainer having a locking detent 35 normally extendingthrough an opening in the retainer and through an alined opening 3! inthe socket 3|. The detent 35 is mounted on a push rod 3? slidable in aframe 38 secured to the rail. The rod 3'! and detent 36 are normallyurged forwardly to maintain the detent in its locking position in thesocket 3|, and for this purpose I provide a compression spring 39 coiledaround the push rod between the rear end of the frame and a collar illon the rod.

Any desired number of rails i3 may be mounted on the frame llil l, butfor illustrative purposes I have shown 12 rails. While a contactassembly 29 is shown on only one of the rails, it will be understoodthat each of the rails is provided with a similar contact assembly atits rear end portion, that is, near the leading edge of the wing. Eachof the rails 13 is adapted to support a rocker assembly having a motorof the form disclosedin the above identified application of C. C.Lauritsen, Ser. No. 481,645, now Patent No. 2,469,350. Moreparticularly, the rocket assembly comprises an anti-submarine bomb 42connected to the front end of the rocket motor comprising the body 13,which has a tail assembly made up of an insulated ring 45 and a groundedring 55 extending around the rear end portion of the body. As disclosedin the aboveidentified application, the propellent charge in the rocketbody is ignitible by an electrically operable igniter which is energizedthrough the rings 4 and 45. Each bomb 42 has a pairof laterallyextending supporting lugs 35 which rest on the inwardly turned edges [3aof the rail. The lugs 45 may be mounted on the bomb by means of a band(not shown) extending around the bomb casing. The rocket assembly ismounted on the rail from the front end thereof, that is, from the endopposite the contact means 25, by moving the rocket assembly rearwardly,tail first, until the lugs 46 move into the rail and rest upon the railedges Isa. The rocket assembly is moved rearwardly on the lugs 45 untilthe tail ring 55 engages and rides up the sloping surface of contact25a. In this position of the rocket assembly, the insulated ring 44engages spring contact 22 which yields to permit movement of the tailrings along the rail. It will be apparent that the grounded contact 25alimits rearward movement of the rocket assembly in the rail.

When the distributor boxes 33 are connected to the current source, thecontacts 22 and 25a are energized through wiring 32, the plug and socket3D3! and the two-wire cable 23. As a result, the propellent charge inrocket body 43 is ignited electrically through the insulated contact 22,insulated ring 44, the rocket igniter (not shown), grounded ring 55, andthe grounded contact 26a. The rocket assembly is then propelledforwardly in guide 13, that is, to the rear of the airplane, whereby thetail rings 44 and 45 slide off the contacts 22 and 26a. The rail 13guides the rocket assembly during its acceleration by the rocket motor,so that the flight of the assembly may be directed accurately. In orderto permit arming of the usual fuze (not shown) in the nose of the bomb42, I provide a solenoid 66 mounted on the rail l3 adjacent the nose ofthe bomb and adapted to be energized from distributor 33 through wiring46a. The fuze solenoid 66 may be of any desired type, solenoids forarming purposes being well known in the art.

When it is desired to remove one of the rails l3 from the frame lflll,as in mounting the projector on the airplane wing, the push rod 31 isactuated to release the socket 3| in retainer 35, and the plug andsocket 30--3l are disconnected. Thus, the rail may be removed easilywithout interfering with the wiring connections.

In the event that it is desired to use the projector with a smallerrocket and bomb assembly, the adaptor illustrated in Fig. 9 may beemployed. As there shown, the adaptor comprises a troughshaped guide 41mounted in each of the rails [3. Near the front end of each rail is anarc-shaped member 58 welded at its ends to cross-pieces 49. One end ofeach cross-piece 49 engages the adjacent edge l3a of the rail, while theother end of the cross-piece is bolted to an outwardly extending flange41a on the adaptor, as shown at 55. Near the rear end of the rail is atransverse member 5| secured to the guide flanges 41a by bolts 52, theends of the member 5| being bolted to the inwardly turned edges 13a ofthe rail, as shown at 53. The adaptor guide 41 is mounted in the rail l3from the front end thereof, that is, from the trailing edge of the wing,by sliding the adaptor forwardly in the rail until the members A8 and 5|rest on the rail edges Mia, and then bolting member 5| to the rail bybolts 53 when the adaptor is in position.

At its rear end, each adaptor guide 4-! has a stop 5!. for locating thesub-caliber rocket assembly in the adaptor substantially in the samemanner as in Fig. 5. The stop 54 is mounted on an arm 55 extending alongthe bottom of the adaptor and pivoted at its front end on a transversepivot 56. The pivot 56 is mounted in a frame 57 which may be welded tothe adaptor. A spring 58 is coiled around the pivot pin 56 and urges thearm 55 upwardly against the bottom of the adaptor, the upward movementof the arm being limited by a stop 59 thereon. In operation, thesub-caliber rocket assembly is inserted in the rear end portion of theadaptor 41 by depressing the stop 54 against the action of spring 58.Vifhen the rocket assembly is in position in the adaptor, the stop 54 isreleased and returns automatically to its normal locking position, whereit prevents rearward movement of the rocket assembly. The sub-caliberrocket assembly may be similar to that disclosed in a copendingapplication of C. C. Lauritsen, Ser. No. 481,645, now Patent No.2,469,350, filed April 2, 1943, and is fired electrically through acable leading from the rear end of the assembly to a plug (not shown)which may be inserted in the socket 3| in place of plug 30.

\ I claim:

1. A rocket projector for airplanes, which com-- prises a frame,releasable means for mounting the frame on the lower wing surface of anairplane, an inverted trough-shaped member connected to the frame andhaving inwardly turned side edges for suspending a rocket by spaced finsextending laterally and upwardly of its sides, a troughshaped adaptorfor receiving a smaller rocket, said adapter having out-turned marginalside flanges engaging said inturned side edges, and transverse supportsaflixed to said adapter flanges and resting on said inturned side edgesfor supporting said adapter subjacent said troughshaped member.

2. In a holder for missiles and the like having spaced fins extendinglaterally upwardly of their sides, an inverted trough-shapedlongitudinal member provided with downwardly extending sides terminatingin inturned spaced flanges on which said fins may rest, an uprighttroughshaped longitudinal member for supporting a missile, and meanssupporting said upright trough member with its longitudinal axis belowand parallel to the longitudinal axis of said first member, said crossmember comprising means slidably positioned on and carried by theinturned spaced flanges of said first member and connected to saidupright trough member.

CHARLES C. LAURITSEN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 455,279 Cunningham June 30, 1891 Number Number 6 Name DateMeadowcroft June 20, 1893 Tasker Oct. 13, 1903 Unge Mar. 21, 1905 VedderAug. 30, 1910 Hoagland Jan. 27, 1914 Bourdelles Apr. '7, 1914 Davis Aug.25, 1914 Davison Feb. 6, 1917 Cooke Oct. 31, 1922 Boos Mar. 22, 1927Richardson Aug. 21, 1928 Krammer Feb. 4, 1936 Waugh June 1, 1937 VisserMay 7, 1940 Bedard July 20, 1943 Wauters July 27, 1943 Lakso June 5,1945 Lauritsen May 10, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britainof 1908 Great Britain Aug. 21, 1940 Germany Jan. 4, 1937 France Nov. 3,1936 France July 4, 1938

